IC8
SYRISSA

Floradine and Shanjalae, Shae and Garanon jump through the portal.  Just as the staff passes through with Garanon, the portal instantly closes, leaving Fire and Rathyl back with the volcano.  You can only imagine their surprise when the portal closes and they are surrounded by a wall of ash and lava with no escape.  You hope their passing was fast and painless.

You fall in a heap on a stone floor.  Around you can be heard the voices of wizards, several of them, chanting different spells.  Then you hear a voice yell, "Wait!"

The party members begin to extract themselves, and you find yourself looking around a circular tower, nearly bare except for wizardly items.  You first see a wizard with an eyepatch.  Gathbael!  He is holding up his hand for the others to stop.  "That is not Bezbathal!" he tells the others.  "Hold your spells."

You see close by another aged wizard.  A pipe hangs from his mouth.  It has been a long time since you have seen the pipesmoking wizard.  He curls his fingers into his hand and the growing light of some magic diminishes and then blinks out.

There is a third wizard you have never seen before.  He is clad in red and green robes.  His beard is shorter than the others, cut closer to his face.  He says, "Nevertheless, Attrivus will find us before long.  We must hurry."

"But look what fate has brought us," the pipesmoking wizard says.  "This cannot be happenstance."

"And how did they get Bezbalath's staff?" Gathbael states with a curious raising of his eyebrow.

"Who are they?" the third wizard asks.

Gathbael smiles in response.  "Surely, you have heard of the Baron's Crusaders, Ashe.  If memory serves me, this is Sir Floradine, and that is Shae Shadowglenn, and this is Garanon, Kanteel's younger brother.  I am afraid I do not know the elven child."

"Garanon I know," Ashe states.  "The others, I hear, destroyed my tower in the Valley of Mist."  The three wizards look at each other and then explode into laughter.

"Welcome," Gathbael states to the group.  "Surely you must desire to tell us your tale and refresh yourselves."

Upon hearing the chanting the druid had rolled herself into a fighting crouch, the dragon maw dagger in hand as she expected trouble.  At the sight of Gathbael's familiar figure and voice she rises to her feet in one fluid, graceful motion, her golden gaze piercing as it moves between the three wizards.

"Tell you our tale?!" Shae repeats incredulously, "Perhaps after you explain where we are, and what was going on here!"

Her eyes move to the red and green robed man, "So you are the man responsible for the building of that monstrosity in the middle of the Valley of Mists. The Tower of Traps that killed my travelling companions!  The same paranoid, power hungry man who encapsulated a red dragon in an attempt to obtain its power and that killed my brother on its escape."

Her voice lowers to almost a catlike growl, "I'm glad you find such amusement at the situation."

Her gaze shifts to include the other two wizards as she says the last.

Floradine is not amused either.  He stands with his hand on the hilt of his sword waiting for an explanation.

Gathbael says, "Ah, to be full of youth again."

But the pipe smoking wizard takes a puff on his pipe and says, "The half-elf is right."  He turns to the group.  "We are merely relieved that you are not Bezbathal.  Even our power together would have difficulty matching his.  His staff is the gate between worlds.  The original gate that started it all."

Gathbael looks at Ashe sternly.  "We will not discuss the...unfortunate incident with the dragon."

Ashe says, "Surely, I needed defenses.  If anyone got control of the dragon--"

"But now it is loose," the pipesmoking wizard says.  "Under no one's control."

"Yes," Ashe says, "but--"

"But nothing," Gathbael interrupts.  "You should be thanking this group for saving you...as they saved me once."

Turning to the group, the pipesmoking wizard says, "This is my tower.  That is, until we destroy it tonight to prevent anyone from finding us.  The Gathering draws nigh.  Positions are being taken, the pawns in place.  What place will you have in this conflict?"

"They will bring back the rightful heir to the throne," Gathbael says.

"The rightful heir is dead," Garanon says.  "He was behind us.  I came through the portal first.  I am a fool.  I should not have let either of them out of my reach."  He looks at Shae.  "I am sorry about your brother.  It was my fault he was released from his stasis in the first place.  We tried to keep it a secret...even from him.  I failed you all."

The druid seems slightly mollified by Gathbael and the Pipe Smoking Wizards words, though sparks still dance in her eyes. When Garanon speaks to her she regards him coolly, staying quiet for several drawn out moments after he's finished speaking.

Finally, "Rathyl was my brother?! How can that be?  He was a full blooded elf, how could he be the rightful heir to a human throne?"

Her gaze swivels to the Pipe Smoking Wizard, "And whilst I'm trying to sort out all this bloody intrigue, perhaps you might tell me your name.  I'm getting tired of referring to you as 'that Pipe Smoking Wizard'".

"Rathyl had many forms," Garanon says.  "You saw but a few.  I know that he could easily mimic the elf, a flying squirrel, a panther, a brown bear, a pseudodragon, a griffin, and a dire wolf.  Perhaps more.  It is unfortunate you never had the chance to see his true form.  You perhaps would have seen much of yourself in him.  In truth, his mentor was a nobleman elf, and he took his form and mimicked it well.  Your family is gifted in the manner of changing its form.  The young prince was among the finest."

He shakes his head.  "Our hopes now lie with you and your mother, the last of a long line of royalty."

Floradine turns his head down.  "So I have failed the crown."  He looks over at Shae.  "I will not fail it again."

"Wait a minute!" Shae says holding up her hands, an unconscious wince crossing her features as her gaze passes over her stump to Floradine.

"You have failed no-one Ellid," she says firmly, "With the deceit, lies and intrigue that has been happening, you were not to know who Rathyl really was, or what part he really played in this game of pawns." Her eyes flicker to the three wizards as she says the last, "Put aside any guilt you feel, for it is misplaced."

Her attention shifts back to Garanon, "What do you mean "my family" has the gift for shifting forms. Humans and elves do NOT naturally shift forms. My abilites to shift into a Lynx is purely a gift from my totem spirit.  Tell me all you know about my family Garanon!  I will have no more secrets and no more intrigue.  I will know everything now, or else you will have one less heir to the throne to worry about!"

"Garanon knows nothing more than we tell him," the pipesmoking wizard says.  He smiles.  "Totem spirits?  Your totem spirits do not give such gifts to every worshipper, correct?  Think about it.  Righteous kings are sometimes blessed of the gods.  Your ancestors were such blessed people, given a gift to help them escape the evil men with unrighteous ambition.  The gift to transform oneself."

"Although it manifests differently among the heirs," Ashe adds.

Gathbael says, "It is said that the evolution of our kind--men, elves, dwarves and the like--is not made in a slow progression, but in a giant leap.  Your kin were given the gift of such a leap.  An evolution of the species.  Alboron had the key to unlock the next giant leap."

"Only his research will give us the hope to overcome the Gathering," the pipesmoking wizard says.  "Otherwise, we will be doomed.  The Brotherhood grows in strength.  They will add the strength of dragons to their allies."

"Death, destruction," Ashe says.  "If they got ahold of Alboron's research or my research.  Or my dragon or my artifacts.  What I did was necessary.  The traps.  The location."

The pipesmoking wizard addresses Shae.  "Would you have us sacrifice the world to save a few trees?  Or a few lives?"  He looks to Floradine.  "Is it better to let evil reign, young knight, than to stomp it out at the cost of a few lives?"

Gathbael says, "If the Brotherhood succeeds, the entire forest will be gone.  Our cities and civilization will fall to anarchy.  The elves, dwarves, humans, even the peaceful halflings, will all be wiped out of existence.  Innocents will be killed."  He pauses.  "And the world we know as Allevia will be destroyed, along with all its life, its people, its societies."

Ashe says, "We must bring back Alboron.  He alone understands his research.  I could not decipher his codes.  The leap must be made."  He begins to mumble under his breath.

Gathbael steps closer.  "We must have the Symbols of Life and Death to bring back Alboron.  Will you give them to us?"  He holds out his hand.

The pipesmoking wizard answers Shae's previous question.  "We three wizards are called the Trinity.  We have been around for a very long time, longer even than any elf.  We were here before when the dragons were banished.  Who do you think managed that feat?  Some people have called me the Harbinger, but I have many names.  They are ancient and of no use to you."

Then he pulls out a scroll, touches Shae's hand, and begins to read from it.  Shae begins to pull back, but then she waits.  The voice is soft, and when it ends, the scroll flashes into non-existence.

Shae is staring down at her hand restored.  She flexes it for a moment.  "A simple restorative regeneration spell," the Harbinger says.  "Can't have a one-handed queen now, can we?"

Floradine nods slowly.  "I think they're right, Shae.  As much as I hate to admit it, I think you should give them the symbols."

Shae seems transfixed by the return of her hand for several long moments before her golden eyes meet those of the Harbinger. "Thank you." she says quietly.

She flexes her hand once more before her attention is again trained on the three men. "I'm not sure I understand all that you've told me, and I will not get into a philosphical debate over the price of a few lives for a perceived greater good. It has been more than just a 'few' lives or trees I'll have you know."

Pausing a moment, she gives a heavy sigh, "Nevertheless, on Floradine's recommendation the symbols are yours.  I do have a request though.  If you can bring back Alboron, you can also bring back Rathyl, Kallad, Shaelad, Joseph and the others that have passed.  We also have bought the Oracle you created with us.  You can make use of it aswell right?"

She begins to retrieve the two symbols that lay carefully wrapped within her sash, "There is something else I would know.  Are you saying that my heritage allows me to transform into forms other than just a Lynx?"

Gathbael graciously takes the symbols from her.  "Bringing one back to life requires the body to be present.  If you had their bodies, then it might be possible.  The life force of Alboron is also very strong.  I do not know about the others."

The Harbinger says, "We have already used the Oracle.  It is best left away from those who would use it for...alternative purposes."

"But the other artifacts you have collected," Ashe says.  "We must keep them safely away from the Brotherhood."

"Yes," Gathbael agrees.  "And also, I believe you were collecting some potions for me.  Of longevity.  In exchange for the magical items I was creating for you."

The Harbinger takes the symbols from Gathbael and says, "Let them rest and regain their strength.  Store the artifacts, heal them, and let us adjourn for now.  We must prepare Alboron's body."  He turns to leave the group with Ashe and Gathbael.

Watching the Harbinger leave, Gathbael responds to Shae's question.  "Other forms?  I don't know that.  It manifests differently on every heir.  Rathyl worked hard to learn his forms, studying almost nothing else.  You have dedicated yourself to one totem.  The answer to your question lies within you."

The druid nods to Gathbael and her shoulders visibly sag. "Rest.  That would be very welcome."

She moves to take Shanjalae's hand, smiling down at the younger elf. "Come sister, let us enjoy a hot bath, good food and lots of sleep."

Floradine is reluctant for a moment, but then he agrees and hands over the artifacts to the wizards.  Slightly embarrassed, he says, "You two enjoy your hot bath.  I will make do with getting out of this armor and sleeping."

Despite the turmoil of a few moments earlier, the druid smiles at the embarrassed flush on the paladin’s cheeks. “Why the embarrassment Sir Knight?” she inquires, “You are welcome to join us if you wish.  We are in the presence of 3 powerful wizards. If they can create magics for teleportations, and to regrow limbs" she waves her restored hang at him, "I’m sure they can conjure enough hot water for us all.”

"Besides," she leans forward and gives a loud sniff, "You smell!"

"Yes, yes, hot water for all," Ashe says.  Then he yells out at a screetchingly loud voice, "Mucklaster, where are you, you fool?!  Draw them a bath!"

The halfling apprentice appears after a few moments.  "Digastrous pilule!  Curse me for my lateness.  It is so good to see you again.  I will draw you a bath straight away."  The halfling runs off.

The night falls.  The party is healed, bathes, and then falls into a deep slumber, at peace for the first time in too long.

You are awakened early by the Harbinger.  "He is gone," he says.  "Took them all!"

"How could you let this happen?" Ashe says.

"Me?" says the Harbinger.  "It was that idiot jewel.  The magic corrupted him."

"Yes," says a voice, and you see Mucklaster shying away in the background.  "He has not been himself in the last year since...well, since the magic returned to the artifacts.  Always scratching at his eye patch where the jewel was hiding."

"After he drank your longevity potions and made himself young again," the Harbinger explains, "he took the artifacts, including your portable hole.  Then he fled."

"We are ruined!" Ashe says.  "Shouldn't have trusted him!"

"Perhaps," the Harbinger says.  "But I do not believe he is fleeing to the Brotherhood."

"Where then?"

"To get the other artifacts, or at least to find out where they are.  Only one person knows that.  The neutral one who serves none of the agendas of the Brotherhood."

"The only one they trust," Ashe says, nodding.

"Yes.  Syrissa."  [Assuming the party told them their tale.]  "That is also where you will find the queen.  We must go there."

"No," Ashe says.  "We cannot.  Our presence would surely alert the Brotherhood."

The wizards turn their gazes on you.

"You're kidding right?!" Shae looks extremely unimpressed with her arms crossed and the frown marring her features, "Frankly I've had enough of this.  Everywhere I turn it seems I find a liar or a traitor. You can't honestly expect us to chase down a wizard as powerful as Gathbael!  You pair are the ones with the teleportation spells and other powerful magics at their command. You would have better luck surely?"

Ashe nods.  "Yes, I can teleport you to within an hour's walk of Syrissa, and a staff to teleport you back here."

The Harbinger says,  "However, you are not to fight Gathbael.  That would be folly.  We want you to talk to Syrissa, find out where the Brotherhood is, or where the artifacts are.  If you find the queen, you can rescue her and bring her back here.  Syrissa is not a violent person, and we expect no resistence.  But as you can see, she would be suspicious of the two of us showing up.  Not only does she know who we are and that we are not with the Brotherhood, but you yourselves are suspicious of us despite our candor."  He looks at Garanon.  "Besides, Garanon is known to be a friend to the Brotherhood.  He can help.  We do not believe Syrissa knows of his loyalty to us."

[Note to all:  Experience points updated.  Please make appropriate adjustments.]

"I think we have every right to be suspicious," Shae retorts, "Your 'candor,' as you put it, has been none existent up until this point. Our first enounter with you Harbinger, was in the middle of the forest in the dead of night - your message cryptic and forboding. We've been manipulated at every turn, by your lackey," she points a finger at Garanon, "And by my own father, to name a few. So do not speak to me of my suspicious nature."

"However," she gives a heavy sigh and her anger seems to dissipate with it, "It seems I have little choice in this matter.  If I am to find the Queen, then I must go. But let it be known. Once she is safe, I am done with this.  I will be returning to my clan, my real family, amongst the elves."

She pauses for a moment collecting her thoughts, "You said that Syrissa was neutral.  Why do you fear going to her?  Why are links with the brotherhood," she indicated Garanon again, "going to put us in better stead when dealing with this woman? That would seem to indicate she is less than neutral......"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:22, Sat 06 Dec 2003.

The Harbinger says, "Let me clarify.  Among the Brotherhood, she is the neutral one.  Hence, she is the one they trust with information."

Floradine says, "Fine, then.  Open up the portal and let's get this show moving.  The queen's been locked up long enough."

"Didn't the Oracle say the Queen was at an Inn?" Shae suddenly asks, waiting for Ashe to open his portal, "That hardly seems an ideal place to hold the ruler of a kingdom."

The Harbinger sucks on his pipe for a moment.  "At an inn?  Syrissa must have been traveling at the time.  She is out and about much of the time.  She is a peculiar woman.  Very eccentric.  She loves art in any form.  Her chateau is filled with paintings, tapestries, statues, and all sorts of objet d'art. I'm sure she must have returned by now.  From what you told me, it appears that the queen must be trapped in some sort of object.  Syrissa has a bag of holding similar to your portable hole.  I suspect she keeps it in there and takes it with her to avoid possible theft."

He runs out of the room and returns a moment later with a small painting.  "This is very valuable," he says.  "As I said, she is eccentric.  She covers all of her body and face at all times.  Some say she must be hideously ugly or deformed, and thus she loves art and all things beautiful but is ashamed of herself.  At any rate, give her this painting as a token of your goodwill.  At the very least, she should be flattered by your offering."

He grabs his staff, preparing to open the portal.  "Any more questions?"

Shae nods."The Queen had reportedly died, and yet, she is held captive by this Syrissa.  How did that come about?"

"I too am at a loss there.  I also thought she was dead.  It is mostly guesswork for me."

Ashe steps forward.  He waves his staff and a portal opens, shimmering and round.  "Remember," he says, "Gathbael looks different now. He took those longevity potions and now appears to be in his twenties.  But he still wears the patch over his eye where the jewel is hidden."

"I sincerely apologize for his behavior," Mucklaster says.  "He has been acting so strange lately.  Very unkind."

"It is the magic of the jewel," the Harbinger explains.  "The awakening magic is corrupting him to its own will."  He looks at the party to see if there are any parting questions.

Shae nods. "We'll keep an eye out for him."

She turns to enter the portal, but just before she steps through she turns back to Ashe, "I apologise to inform you of this, but your apprentice was one of the unfortunate to fall on our trip to your tower.  Also, the Baron is most displeased with your lack of contact with him.  Whilst we are gone, you might wish to contact him."